Community Decorating Day

Come together to decorate the island for the holidays! Volunteers should meet at the Pavilion at Memorial Park to pick up decorations for five special areas on the Island. Then, off you go with decorations in hand to help make the Island festive! Students can receive community service hours too!

Time: 10:00am

Place: Memorial Park – start

Thanksgiving Day Dining on Tybee Island

Following is a list of local restaurants that are open Thanksgiving Day for those that choose to let someone else do the cooking this holiday:

Best Decorated Businesses

Every year holiday decorations are hung with care throughout our nostalgic island. Merchants light up their storefronts with festive bulbs, display festive ornaments and favorite characters depicting holiday memories are painted for all to see along the windows.

During the Lights on for Tybee celebration, awards will be presented by Tybee Beautification Association to the Best Decorated Businesses.  The public is encouraged to participate by submitting nominations for your favorites!  Voting will take place between Thanksgiving Day and December 5.

Floating Christmas Parade

Get swept away by all the festive Christmas lights on the water at this year’s Floating Christmas Parade! Join the team at the Crab Shack beginning at 6:00pm to prepare for the lit festive boat launch at approximately 7pm. The hot dog and chili bar will be open from 6pm – 7pm. Participation is free with a food donation for America’s Second Harvest and $5 for spectators with a food donation.

Awards will be presented when the boats return.

Tybee Arts Association Christmas Art Show

Last minute Christmas shopping? Support local artists and causes at the Tybee Arts Association Last Minute Christmas Show and Sale Dec. 7-9.

Fifteen local artists will display their work, including jewelry, pottery, paintings, fiber arts, sculpture, prints, art quilts, glass art, photography, and much more. You are sure to find gifts to check off your list. While you are there, help a good cause with a donation to Tybee’s Rising Tyde Food Pantry. Bring a non-perishable food or cash donation and get a raffle ticket for an artist’s basket filled with small works by the artists.

Lights on for Tybee

Time: 6:30pm
HOLIDAY LIGHTS! MUSIC! DANCING! SHOPPING! DINING!
A celebratory Tybee tradition downtown with the tree lighting and holiday joy!

You are invited to partake in the festive Island spirit as the Mayor lights the Christmas tree at the Roundabout, the choirs sing, and Gretchen Greene School of Dance students perform. Plus, two surprise visitors will be flying in to kick off the holiday weekend of celebrations.

Children can also have their cute faces painted this evening across from the stage on Tybrisa! Complimentary refreshments will be available at participating locations along Tybrisa and Strand.

Holiday Cottage Tour

Take time during the holiday rush to view “shabby chic” historic Tybee Island cottages as restored by the famous interior designer, Jane Coslick. When imagination, colors, historic cottages and Jane’s vision combine the results are phenomenal!

Tybee Island Christmas Parade

Everyone loves a parade especially during the holidays! The parade begins at 1:00pm from the 14th Street parking lot (behind Ocean Plaza) and travels up Tybrisa to Butler Avenue then to the Tybee Gym where children will have photo time with Santa! The Tybee YMCA will have surprises for all to enjoy at the gym. Parade Applications due by November 30.

Residential Decoration Judging

Residents, every year Tybee Beautification Association participants take a trolley ride throughout the island neighborhoods looking for the best decorated homes!  When they see yours so festive, they stop and present you with a beautiful gift of appreciation for making such a contribution to the holiday island spirit.  Please click here for more information or to suggest your home / your neighbors home be considered.

Time: 7:00pm

Place: Tybee Island Post Office – start

Ft. Pulaski Candle Lantern Tours

Fort Pulaski commemorates the Confederate Nog party of 1861 each year during the holiday season. The long-lived Savannah tradition provides night-time tours of the historic fort by candlelight and oil lamps.

The original party, held at Christmas time in 1861, gave the Confederate garrison at Fort Pulaski a respite from the tension of impending battle. The fort casemates, armed with cannons, were decorated with holiday garlands. As one soldier commented, tables groaned under the weight of fine delicacies sent down from the city. With song and good cheer, the men celebrated a light-hearted moment as the dark clouds of war gathered over Savannah.

Guests will have the unique experience of a guided tour for the fort by moonlight. Hot cider and cookies, music, caroling and night-time weapons firings will allow guests to re-live the festive occasion.